8 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari
8 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari : On this Rwanda safari of 8 days and 7 nights, you will visit and experience 3 Rwanda’s national parks which are the only parks in the country. This safari starts with the scenic Akagera National Park – the only savannah wildlife park in Rwanda and home to the Big 5, proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park – home to a huge population of chimpanzees and other primates and end with Volcanoes National Park a home to mountain gorillas.
Safari Highlights
- Game drive
- Boat ride
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Canopy Walk
- Gorilla tracking
Detailed Itinerary of 8 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Arrival to Kigali International Airport
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our representative / your guide and be transferred to your hotel in Kigali. Depending on the time of your arrival, you will have a short city tour visiting the Kigali Genocide center, Kimironko Market and other sites.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Kigali
Midrange: Five to Five Hotel
Budget: Urban by City Blue
Meal Plan: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National park – Boat Safari
After breakfast, you will be picked up and go for a short city tour (that is if you did not have a chance to do it the previous day). You will visit Kigali genocide memorial center to learn some history of Rwanda – the land of a thousand hills.
After this eye-opening experience, you ill heave for Akagera National Park with short stopovers along the way for photos and use of washrooms.
Arrive in the park in time for lunch and check in, later head to Lake Ihema for a boat safari for sightings of hippos and crocodiles. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Karenge Bush Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes or Helicopter ( Augusta) – 30 minutes
Day 3: Explore Akagera National Park
Spend a full day exploring Akagera National Park which is the only savannah park in Rwanda, the park is located in North Eastern Rwanda on the border of Rwanda with Tanzania. The park is home to several wildlife species including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, bush bucks and lions among others.
During the game drives in Akagera, you will spot some of these animals, game drives in Akagera National Park are usually done in the northern sector of the park. The game drives last for almost an entire day. Return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, have dinner and stay overnight.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Karenge Bush Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
Depart for Nyungwe Forest in Southern Rwanda, along the way you will have a stopover in Huye formerly known as Butare for a visit to the ethnographic Museum of Rwanda formerly known as the national museum of Rwanda. Here you will learn about the culture and history of the Rwandan people.
Arrive in Nyungwe Forest in the evening, check in at tour lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Budget: Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Drive time – 5 hours Or Helicopter (Robinson/ Augusta) – 45 minutes/ 35 minutes
Day 5: Rwanda Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
After breakfast, you will head to the park’s headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking and the right way to behave while in the forests of Nyungwe as early 5:30 am. Your guide will then lead you to either Uwinka Trail head or the Cyamudongo sector for chimpanzee trekking, the trek takes approximately 2-3 hours and one hour of being in the presence of the chimpanzees and watching them go on with their lives in the forests of Nyungwe.
In addition to chimpanzees, you will be able to see other primates such as L’Hoest’s monkeys, Rwenzori Colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys among others.
Head to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will head to the Uwinka Center which is a starting point for the canopy walk. On the walk, you will enjoy the scenic views of the canopy, various bird species and primates.
Accommodation options
Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Budget: Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, you will depart for Volcanoes National Park in Northern Rwanda, along the way you will have lunch, enjoy sightings of Lake Kivu and the winding roads in the land of a thousand hills.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Five Volcanoes
Midrange: Le Bambo Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Drive time – 6 hours Or Helicopter (Robinson) – 35 minutes
Day 7: Gorillas in the Mist
After breakfast, you will head to the park’s headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking, be assigned a gorilla family/group to trek in groups of 8 people. Then head into the forests looking for gorillas, the trek takes about 2-6 hours depending on the movement of mountain gorillas and where they spent their previous night.
When you encounter the chimpanzees, you are allowed to stay in their presence for one hour while taking pictures and observing their amazing characteristics among others.
Return to the park’s headquarters to pick your certificates, then head to your lode or to the cultural village for a walk and encounter with the local people.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Five Volcanoes
Midrange: Le Bambo Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 8: End of the Rwanda wildlife Safari
After breakfast, you will checkout of your lodge and embark on a drive to Kigali City and transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes Or Helicopter (Robinson) – 35 minutes
Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch
END OF 8 DAYS RWANDA WILDLIFE SAFARI
